The calendar had just turned to October and the Timbers were coming off a pair of demoralizing results. First was a loss in Minnesota, where the Timbers conceded three goals to one of the weakest attacking teams in MLS. Then came a lackluster 0-0 draw to FC Dallas in front of Timbers fans at Providence Park, just as playoffs loomed.

Coach Giovanni Savarese regularly meets with the players to go over the plan for the week ahead, but he felt the team needed something different after those poor results. When the players arrived at their training facility in Beaverton, Savarese invited them to air every grievance, every concern, every thought they had about the direction of the team. In a back-and-forth dialogue, Savarese addressed everything the players had to say and they hashed it all out, right there.

“We had to gather the guys and make sure we’re on the same page,” Savarese says. “I gave the opportunity to everyone to express themselves completely in what...